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Senegal quarantines first suspected Ebola virus case

Serigne Daw Sunday, August 10, 2014

The suspected case is for a 27-year-old Malian national, Sene said in a statement

DAKAR – Senegal on Sunday quarantined its first suspected Ebola virus case at a hospital east of the capital Dakar.

Doudou Sene, the head of the health department of Matam, a region 750 kilometers east of Dakar, said the suspected Ebola patient was quarantined at Ourossogui Hospital.

"The suspected case is for a 27-year-old Malian national," Sene said in a statement.

He said the suspected patient returned recently to Senegal from his country, carrying some of the symptoms of the disease.

Sene said the Malian patient had most likely come in contact with Guineans, given the fact that Guinea is one of the most hardest-hit countries by the virus.

"Samples have been taken from the patient and sent to Dakar for analysis," Sene said, adding that the analysis results will appear in 48 hours.

Senegal's university hospital Fann had earlier received a suspected Ebola virus patient. The patient was quarantined at the Contagious Disease section. He proved, however, to be negative to the disease after samples were taken from him and analyzed.

Ebola is a contagious disease for which there is no known treatment or cure.

The virus can be transmitted to humans from wild animals and also spreads through contact with the body fluids of an infected person or someone who has died of the disease.

The Word Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa to be an "international public health emergency" as the virus continues to spread through the region.

The virus has killed hundreds of people in West Africa, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Nigeria has confirmed two Ebola fatalities, including a visiting Liberian man.

Benin has also reported two Ebola fatalities, including a man returning from the Nigerian city of Lagos.